IN THE SPOTLIGHT WITH MEMBER ...

When you were a child what did you aspire to be?As a child I saw life as an adventure, and I saw myself as a great adventurer. I guess you could say I still am really.

Did you enjoy education?I loved primary school. I became leader of the good guys. My nemesis, a guy named Mark Holland, aged about 8, was the leader of the bad guys. I'm not entirely sure he saw it that way, but I had a lot of fun growing up.

What motivated you to learn your service/trade?In my late teens, I worked in an antiquarian bookshop. That started my lifelong habit of reading everything I could get my hands on. From there it was only a matter of time before I started writing. And when I realised that words can and do change the world, there was no turning back.

What motivated you to start your own Business? By the time I reached 23, I was a penniless wanna-be rock star. I had to do something to earn enough money, so I started delivering urgent packages for private companies by motorcycle (my only real asset). The business took off and I ended up with 18 riders, two offices and just about no time for being a rock star.

Do you wish you had started your Business earlier?No. Everything happened at the right time for me.

What are the rewards of being your ‘own Boss’?Freedom, which means choice.

How did you support yourself financially to start your own Business?I asked my bank manager for a £500 overdraft and for some crazy reason he said yes - no strings attached - which was lucky since at the time the only strings I had were on my guitar.

What is the best part of your daily routine?All of it. I long ago came to the conclusion that for me there was no work life balance, only life, and I've felt that way ever since.

What have you learnt about yourself since starting your own Business?That the only thing that matters are the people we communicate with every day.

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